It's All Nature
by TisZiny
Summary: "No, you're not human," There was a great silence and Blanche took in this information. She looked human, after all. "Does it frighten you?" Blanche smiled, "Quite the opposite, Dr Song. It enthrals me,".
1. Chapter 1

_Hey, I posted this to tumblr about a week ago, but I thought I'd share it here too. :)_

**It's All Nature**

**Part 1**

"Are we doing the right thing?" River asked, eyeing the streets of London around them,

"We're doing the best thing for her,"

River turned her gaze from her husband's dejected expression to the small life she held in her arms, her daughter. She was pink and squishy and River knew deep in her hearts she couldn't keep her. Not at Stormcage, not on the TARDIS, not even with her parents. But the Doctor had an old friend who owed him a favour. A friend who so very much craved a darling sister for her daughter. SO here they were, about to hand over their baby like she was a stray kitten they didn't want.

"But 1889," River asked, still unsure of this decision, "Darling it's too early, there's so much war and prejudice. Surely you know someone in the twenty-second century that would…" She couldn't finish her plea, looking tearfully down at the little face that somehow reminded her so much of her own,

The Doctor sighed sadly, "River you know I wish this could be another way as much as you do, but Frances is a dear friend, one who will raise her to be a strong and confident woman. We…" his words caught and he let out a deep breath, "We have no choice. This is the place for her."

"I know," River whispered through her tears, "I just feel like I'm abandoning her."

"Sometimes," The Doctor murmured, pressing a kiss to River's temple, "That's the best thing to do."

River couldn't hold back any longer, and a sob shook her body. She felt the Doctor wrap his arms around her, ignoring the looks of passersby, and whisper soothing words into her ear. "She'll be fantastic. Just you see. I bet she'll be every bit as strong as you, with your brains and your resilience. She'll be amazing."

"We'll come back for her?"

"Of course we will." He dipped his head and pressed a chaste kiss to her lips, then lower, to their daughter's head, "I love you," he murmured so softly to their little baby, "So much,"

He straightened up and River nodded at him, allowing the Doctor to place his hand on her lower back and lead her down the drive and up to the house of Sir John and Lady Frances Mottershead. Frances had beamed so brightly at the sight of them, ushering them in and kissing their cheeks.

"Does she have a name, Doctor?" she asked, holding her new daughter,

River swallowed thickly, and the Doctor's arm around her tightened, "We couldn't bare it."

"Amelia," River said, the first word she'd spoken since arriving at the house, "After my mother."

Frances smiled sympathetically at her and looked down at the babe in her arms, "Blanche Amelia Mottershead," she smiled, "I will do you well, Doctor. You have my word."

Almost fifty years on from that day, the Doctor and River returned. Not to the house of Lady Frances, but to 165 Eaton Place. Years had passed for them too, many more than for Blanche, and River felt her hearts race. She and the Doctor had agreed to meet here, dressed to the period -and she had to say he looked rather spiffing- and never peek at the spoilers before their time. It had been rather hard for the both of them, and there had been nights together on the TARDIS when the Doctor would suggest they just watch. "Just to see her run through a park, or fly a kite, we wouldn't have to leave the TARDIS,". She had refused him every time, though longed to accept with both her hearts.

But here they were, and the door before them was opening and a butler was greeting them, "Good Morning Sir, Madame, are you looking for the Master of the house, because I'm afraid he's unavailable at this moment,"

River noticed his gaze linger questioningly on her, looking carefully into her face and frowning ever so slightly. She put it off to curiosity. Perhaps her hat was too much, or perhaps he thought it odd a woman of her apparent age should be with a man of that much younger. The Doctor smiled, either not noticing the butler's strange gaze or ignoring it, and requested they see Blanche Mottershead.

His curious gaze seemed to intensify for a moment before his eyes flicked to the Doctor's and he spoke, "Dr. Mottershead is upstairs, if you'll follow me to the sitting room she will accompany you momentarily."

They stepped into the house and were led through to the sitting room, where they sat and were left alone. River closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath as the Doctor squeezed her hand.

"Did you hear," he murmured, "She's a Doctor."

River smiled, "She is."

They laughed quietly, both so very happy, and waited. The butler returned, "Dr. Mottershead," he introduced as a woman, round tortoise shell glasses on her nose, a cigar in her fingers, stepped into the room,

"Thank you, Mr. Pritchard." She dismissed him, "We won't be needing anything."

He left with a courteous nod and River stood, the Doctor following her lead. River was amazed by the woman in front of her, she looked to be her twin rather than her daughter and she was staring at the pair of them with a slightly suspicious glare in her eyes.

"I don't much enjoy not knowing the names of my company," she said, neither sitting or inviting them too,

"Oh, my apologies, Dr Mottershead," The Doctor rushed to say, holding out his hand, "Dr. John Smith, and this is-"

"Dr. River Song,"

Blanche nodded at them, shaking their hands in turn, then indicating the seat behind them and setting herself down opposite, "I suppose you have a reason for this visit?" She asked, pressing the cigar to her lips and blowing smoke gently in the air.

"Yes," The Doctor smiled, sitting with River and running his hands down his trousers nervously, "Can you tell me, your mother-"

"Passed away before the war. My father years before that," Blanche eyed River, "What is this concerning, Dr Smith?"

"Your parenthood, as it were," He smiled, "You're a smart woman, a doctor, I wonder if you ever considered how very different you are,"

"My parenthood?" Blanche drew on her cigar once more and her eyes flicked between the Doctor and River, "Is this going to be a farfetched tale of how my mother came to adopt me? Perhaps one involving my poor birthmother being unable to afford twins and giving one away to Sir John, my father."

"You believe you are adopted?" River asked,

Blanche smiled, "Certainly, I believe it." she said, "I don't doubt that I was, though I don't let my dear nephew know it."

"May I ask what kind of doctor you are?"

The Doctor frowned at River question, but leaned forward, just slightly, as Blanche blew smoke into the air and stated simply, "Archaeology."

River smiled brightly, "And myself," she said, "He thinks it trivial,"

Blanche raised a brow and eyed the Doctor, "And what are you a doctor of, Sir Smith?"

"Everything."

"Including archaeology?"

The Doctor scowled and River laughed, "I think we'll get along quite well, don't you agree Dr Mottershead?"

"Are we to meet again?"

Recovering the Doctor bit his lip, "We we rather hoping you'd accompany us, actually,"

"To where?"

River smiled, "Spoilers."

_**Tbc...**_


	2. Chapter 2

****_I've decided to keep this story as just two parts. Hope you enjoy! :)_

**Part II**

River stood suddenly, "Shall we talk outside?" she asked, not waiting for a reply before starting to the door.

Blanche raised her eyebrows, but stood and followed her with a curious gaze. The three made their way outside, River's hand slipping into the Doctor's arm. "I was hoping, Dr Mottershead, that you would allow River and myself to show you something." The Doctor spoke,

"And what would that be?"

The Doctor pondered this for a moment, before speaking, "I suppose you could think of it as a sort of… archaeological excavation."

They walked on in silence, the Doctor and River leading Blanche through the streets of London, both itching to flood their grown daughter with questions but refraining. Because they couldn't ask. Not until she knew the truth. With a quick smile at River and a squeeze of her hand, the Doctor let his eyes feast on the beloved sight of the TARDIS, disguised so well in these times. They walked towards her, and the Doctor reached a hand into his pocket.

He frowned, "River, have you got your key with you?" he asked, dropping her hand for a more thorough search,

"No, it's inside with my diary. Where's yours?"

The Doctor looked up at her a bit sheepishly, "My tweed."

River rolled her eyes with a sigh, "Oh go on then," she gave in, "show off to her,"

The Doctor beamed, turning to face Blanche who had an expression on her face that clearly said she found the two of them rather insane. He didn't seem to care, and just raised his hand in front of his body and clicked his fingers, immensely enjoying the flicker of surprise in Blanche's face as the blue doors opened. He smiled at her, his arm lowering, displaying the open door, "Ladies first,"

Blanche stepped forward hesitantly, into the TARDIS, her eyes wide, flittering all around the room trying to soak it all in at once. She turned slowly to find the Doctor and River watching her, the doors closed once more.

"The outside is smaller than the inside," she stated, "How is that possible? This goes against all physical law."

"Dimensional transcendence." The Doctor replied, satisfied with her reaction to his beloved ship and quickly darting up the stairs, "Does it scare you?"

Blanche arched her eyebrow at him, "Not at all, Dr Smith."

With a beam he began running around the console and piloting them roughly through the vortex. Blanche lost her balance and fell into the railings surrounding the console area, choosing not to ask the logical questions she knew should be on the tip of her tongue. She found she didn't care for the answers and pushed herself to stand steadily just as the Doctor threw a final switch and they jolted to a stop.

Wrinkling her nose at the grinding noise of the TARDIS, Blanche stepped back down to the doors, "I don't think I'm quite certain on who you are, but it is clearly not anyone worthy of my company," she told them, pulling open the TARDIS doors and stepping out onto a completely different street.

She stared. Turning her head up and down the road, her brow creased before quickly turning and stepping back into the strange room inhabited with such strange folk.

"We've moved." she stated, "How on Earth is that possible?"

River smiled slightly and the Doctor chuckled, "On Earth," he stated, "it's not. This ship isn't from Earth."

"Then where is she from?" Blanche demanded, "There is no evidence of the existence of extraterrestrial life. It doesn't exist."

The Doctor smiled again, holding back laughter, and instead pointed to the doorway, "Why don't you have another look outside, see what else you can discover."

With narrowed eyes Blanche turned sharply on her heel and walked back to the door, opening them once more and looking out into the road. Two people, huddled together, were stopped on the opposite street. A tall gangly man with seemingly too many limbs, and a slightly shorter blonde woman, her hair as mad as Blanche's, loose and wild. And in her arm, a small babe.

"But that is you," Blanche murmured, confusion flooding through her body, "How is it possible for you to be in two places at once?"

River smirked slightly and raised a finger to her lips, "Listen,"

Blanche frowned at her slightly, before turning back to the people over the street, listening carefully as the man spoke gently to his companion. "River you know I wish this could be another way as much as you do, but Frances is a dear friend, one who will raise her to be a strong and confident woman. We… We have no choice. This is the place for her."

It was hard to hear them, they spoke so softly and quietly, but Blanche watched, enraptured and unwilling to tear her gaze from them. She read the woman's lips to say "We'll come back for her?"

And then the man, "Of course we will." And he dipped his head and pressed a chaste kiss to the woman before bending lower and pressing another kiss to the babe in the woman's arm. Blanche heard him through an old and distant memory she knew she shouldn't have, "I love you, so much,"

"That is you," she said again, finally dragging her gaze away, and stepping back into the TARDIS, facing River and the Doctor before her as the doors swung closed.

"Yes."

"We are in the past?"

"Yes."

"The year of my birth?"

"No."

Blanche frowned, and then realised the fault in her question, "The year of my adoption as an infant?"

"Yes."

"That babe, surely, it wasn't myself was it? That it is impossible, is it not, for that to have been myself?"

Tears lined both the Doctor's and River's eyes, "That was you." River whispered, "and that was us. And that was the day we gave you to Frances Mottershead."

Blanche stared at them, her mind racing. This was completely mad, but somehow she could bring herself to think it all untrue. "And then, I suppose it is safe for one to assume, that you, you are my birth parents?"

The Doctor nodded, "Yes."

She brought a hand to her mouth, her heart suddenly aching and her eyes swimming. The Doctor watched her with a kind and worried expression full of such_love_ that Blanche had to step away from him and look down to her breast so as to avoid her parents' eye.

"This ship, she can travel from other worlds. Can travel through time…" She closed her eyes, she needed to sit down and drink a rather large glass of wine, cigar in hand. Sort through her sister's- through _Lady Holland's_ belongings and clear her head.

"Are you," She paused and looked up to meet her mother's eye. "You say this ship, she's from an unearthly world." River nodded kindly, and Blanche found courage to continue, "And I?" she asked, "Am I unearthly?"

The Doctor bit his lip and then nodded. "You were born here," he said, "In what's called the time vortex,"

"So I am not human?"

He shook his head, "No, you're not human."

There was a great silence and Blanche took in this information. She looked human, after all. As did her parents, though they were quite obviously younger than her, neither looking a day older than they did moments ago with her infant self.

"Does it frighten you?"

Blanche smiled, "Quite the opposite, Dr Song. It enthrals me,"

**end.**


End file.
